It’s hard times for the UK economy with the announcement that three million people were unemployed on February 18th 1993.
We’re sure they didn’t take any consolation in the debut of “Duffless” in the US that day. In this episode, Homer battles alcoholism and Lisa reprograms Bart’s brain, all of which is funnier than it sounds.
Along the way we’ll tackle dance crazes, guitar faces, sadistic foley artists, Tory sleaze, negative equity and various “black” days. Please listen and share!

Its a warm February in Springfield as we tackle “I Love Lisa”, the one where Ralph receives the infamous “Choo-choo chose you” card. Along the way we examine the mediocre presidents, including one who died after consuming a surfeit of cherries and iced milk.
For the history, Tom revists the oft-forgotten story of Nebiu Demeke, the last man to carry out a transatlantic plane hijacking.
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Garreth witnesses Phil Hartman gives a masterclass in “Brother From The Same Planet”, broadcast on February 4th 1993. It’s a bit of an unsung classic, featuring no less than twenty eight memeable moments. It also features what looks like an obvious parody (“You’ve been out galavanting with that floozy of a bigger brother haven’t you? Haven’t you? Look at me!”). Tom talks us through the bombing of the World Trade Centre three weeks later, complete with the capers of some bumbling terrorists. And who’s that having a rap cut from a very famous nineties number one? Why not find out inside!

Retrospecticus rides the Whiplash (to be completed in 2026) on January 21st 1993 with Gareth’s thoughts on “Selma’s Choice”, a choice no less impactful for its later reversal, whilst Tom covers the assassination of the fearless Turkish investigative journalist Uğur Mumcu three days later. Along the way we’ll cover the epic history of Türkiye, exclusively reveal the other three of the Seven Duffs, and tell you what we’ve been up to for the last eternity!



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Episode 71 sees our regular intro finally come to fruition as Garreth tackles “Marge Vs The Monorail”, an all-time top-tier stone cold classic! They’ll tie themself in knots with a mega Leonard Nimoy crossover and discuss the ominous return of some omnipresent nineties chart-botherers.



After a record number of Memeable Moments, Tom somehow still has the energy to discuss IBM’s record losses, announced in the same week the episode was first broadcast. He’ll give you the 411 on IBM’s history of inventing everything, and how their hubris led to Bill Gates’ inexorable rise. Take ’em over, boys!

Episode 70, and it’s accidentally seasonal as Garreth looks at the nearest episode to Christmas 1992, “Homer’s Triple Bypass”, and Tom talks “Velvet Divorce” as we wave goodbye to Czechoslovakia. Along the way we’ll address the Twitter elephant in the room, serve up more defenestrations than is strictly healthy and present possibly the worst Randy Savage impression in history. All that and bad cops, this time on Retrospecticus!

It’s episode 69 – nice! – and we’re playing witness to “Lisa’s First Word”, which first aired on 3 December 1992, just as the final word was being said on Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales’ marriage. Yes, we’re taking the most ill-timed trip to Buckingham Palace ever! (It was taped before last Thursday, we swear…) We’ll also take a look at a mysterious guest star and two unlikely true stories from the episode!

Aliens, bio-duplication, nude conspiracies – none of these are why Retrospecticus took a long break, but we’ll explain why, whilst Garreth ploughs through the stone cold classic, “Mr Plow”, with tons of pure West and a visit to Crazy Vaclav’s! Then Tom will talk about the fire at the Royal Family’s second home, Pizza Express in Woking…sorry, we mean Windsor Castle, with a potted history of the royal residence! All that and a Gallic number one, who are you to say no?

Episode 67, and Bart’s got a crush and Homer’s full of shrimp in “New Kid On The Block”, first aired on 12 November 1992 – one day after the Synod of the Church of England voted to ordain women priests! Along the way we’ll go from C and E to C of E, getting an “Eddie Fact” as we do. Content note: this episode includes a mention of Ann Widdicombe.

Episode 66, and we’re gassing Tom Jones in “Marge Gets A Job”, first shown on 5 November 1992 – a mere month after Mortal Kombat first cut a bloody swathe through the arcades! Along the way we’ll fight the creature from the wrong lagoon, complain about sexism in fighting games and finally reveal the blood code for the SNES version!* (* = may be a lie)

Episode 65, and we meet the unforgettable Bang Bang Bart in “Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie”, first aired on November 3rd 1992 – the day of a US Presidential election that elected Bill Clinton! Along the way we’ll drink milkshakes, watch Telemundo, find an unusual L7 cover and talk more Bush than you can shake a stick at!

We’re back… And it’s Halloween again! Garreth takes on apes, zombies and a killer doll in “Treehouse of Horror III”, first shown on 29 October 1992, while Tom takes us through Pope John Paul II’s apology to Galileo a few days later. Featuring manboys at number one and a whole lotta biochemistry! If you like the show, please listen and share!

This time Retrospecticus heartily endorses “Lisa The Beauty Queen”, which first aired on October 15th 1992, the same day as Charles Taylor launched Operation Octopus in the Liberian Civil War. As you might expect it’s a bloody tale, but there’s a double dip in the nineties charts and acronyms by the bucketload to sweeten the pill!

Retrospecticus is back, as long as no minor royals have died this week, with Homer’s new ways of worship in “Homer the Heretic”, first shown on October 8 1992, four days after the end of the civil war in Mozambique. We’ve got a none-more-nineties number one, the one reason anyone would want to join Britain, and more memes than you can shake a big, toasty cinnamon bun at!

It’s episode 61, and “A Streetcar Named Marge” sees Marge treading the boards, while Sinéad O’Connor rips up a photo of Pope John Paul II on Saturday Night Live. Along the way we’ll meet a singing dentist and possibly upset the Catholic Church – probably should have stuck with the singing dentist, then… In all seriousness this episode does feature discussion of child abuse, so do feel free to skip this one and we’ll see you next time for “Homer The Heretic”!

Season four is upon us! Bart encounters everyone’s favourite non-recurring character Mr Black in “Kamp Krusty”! And meanwhile in Brazil, President Fernando Collor de Mello is in a spot of impeachment bother – so we’ll bring you up to date on the history of Brazil! Anyone got any Vargas? Lovely…



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It’s the last show of season 3, for both The Simpsons and us! An embittered Uncle Herb returns in “Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?”, and the UK Government could use use those two dimes as Black Wednesday runs wild! Meanwhile, we jump three months and miss the Summer of Rave, explain short-selling (we think), look at middle age attitudes to sperm and give you what you all came here for: classic Tory sex scandals!

Happy 2021 everyone! We’re back to take a look at Bart’s Friend Falls in Love, the episode that sees Milhouse fall in love with Samantha Stinky, sorry, Stanky! It’s the episode that features some excellent sex education courtesy of Fuzzy Bunny, and Homer making use of a metal deely that you use to dig food.



The episode first aired on the same day that the Space Shuttle Endeavour first launched, so for the history we’re taking a look at space travel. It gives us an excuse to look at the life of Werner von Braun, the Nazi designer of the V2 rocket who went on to work for NASA. We go over the space shuttle missions, from the Challenger disaster to the retirement of the space shuttle program.



We also celebrate the long-overdue appearance of the KLF on Spotify. As ever, if you enjoy the show, please listen and share!

It’s a Christmas special of Retrospecticus! And a special calls for a special guest: writer and broadcaster Tim Worthington joins us to discuss Spinal Tap, as we reach “The Otto Show”, first aired on 23 April 1992 and coinciding with Betty Boothroyd’s arrival as the Speaker of the House of Commons. Along the way we’ll examine tons of ridiculous parliamentary pageantry and an unlikely top ten visit from a band with a very silly name. Merry Christmas everyone!

Sideshow Bob makes his first return in “Black Widower”, first shown on 9 April 1992, and we examine the life of Alberto Fujimori, the Peruvian leader who launched a coup against himself four days earlier. Along the way we’ll see the roots of Britpop, solve a mystery about writers that involves mystery writers, and introduce the listeners to Tom’s wide range of impressions!